Pool table with ballast



Sept. 3, 1968 J GALEDRIGE 3,399,890

POOL TABLE WITH BALLAST Filed Jan. 17, 1966 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. JOHN GALED GE 25 IIATTORNEY United States Patent 3,399,890 POOL TABLE WITH BALLAST John J. Galedrige, 3389 Ivan Way, Mount View, Calif. 94040 Filed Jan. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 521,205 8 Claims. (Cl. 273-6) This invention relates to game apparatus and more particularly is concerned with new and novel improvements in a pool table type game.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a pool table having a diamond shaped playing surface.

Another object is to provide in combination with such diamond shaped playing surface a novel arrangement of ball receiving pockets together with novel markings on the playing surface identifying the pockets and novel markings on the playing balls.

Another object is to provide a novel rack for placing the playing balls in an initial position for breaking.

Still another object is to provide a novel support for the pool table top, comprising hollow supporting leg portions capable of receiving a loose ballast material for imparting weight to the pool table structure.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of the device.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a pool table embodying features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof with parts broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a rack utilized with the present table for positioning the playing balls for breaking.

The present pool table employs a top portion 8 comprising a plate 10, FIGURE 4, which assumes a diamond shape, FIGURE 1. Top plate 10 has four ball receiving pockets 12 at the junction of the side walls and is covered by the usual felt layer 14. Top plate 10 has vertical peripheral flanges 16 which form confining walls for the playing surface of the table, and secured to the inner surface of the flanges 16 are bumper strips 18 as in the usual pool table construction.

Table top 8 is supported on a pair of longitudinally extending legs 20 and a pair of transverse legs 22. Each of the legs 20 and 22 comprises an individual component which is adapted to be attached to the table top after all the components have been transported to the installation site of the table. Each of the legs 20 and 22 comprises a hollow structure, having a horizontally extending portion 24 and a vertical portion 26, The legs 20 and 22 have a top wall 28, FIGURE 4, and end walls 30, FIGURES 3 and 5, to provide an enclosed structure for receiving and confining a ballast material 32 such as sand for a purpose to be described more fully hereinafter. End walls 30 of each of the legs has a tapped bore 33 for receiving a threaded plug 34 by means of which the ballast material may be inserted and removed as desired.

The legs 20 and 22 are dimensioned such that when installed as shown in FIGURE 2 the table top 8 is supported on the upper ends of said legs and is supported at the widest or pocket portions thereof by the vertical portions 26 of the legs. Such legs extend inwardly toward the center of the table, and as seen in FIGURE 3 the two transverse legs have end abutment with each other and the longitudinal legs are abutted against the sides of the transverse legs.

Each of the legs has an integral inwardly extending lug 36 at its upper end having an aperture 38 for receiving threaded studs 40 depending integrally from the table top plate 10. A secured but releasable connection between the legs and the table top is accomplished by wing nuts 42 threadedly engaged on the studs.

In accordance with the present pool table construction, the table top and the legs may be shipped to the site of installation in knocked down condition. In setting up the table, the end plugs 34 on the legs are removed and the latter filled with the ballast material 32. Thereupon the top 8 is seated on the legs and connected thereto by installation of the wing nuts 42 on the studs. The component parts of the table may have lightweight consrtuction for ease in handling and shipment but when filled with the ballast material at the site of installation the required heaviness of the table is accomplished. If it is desired to move the table after it has once been set up, the top may be disconnected from the legs for ease in handling and furthermore the ballast material may be removed from the legs if the table is to be move-d any distance of consequence.

The diamond shaped table top has specific markings on the playing surface as well as specific means for racking the playing balls. The markings on the table comprise four compass-like designations 44, namely north, south, east and west, which identify the four pockets. These designations are provided centrally of the table and may be associated with any suitable ornamental design 45 as desired.

The structure for racking the playing balls for initially breaking comprises a rack 48 having a cross or X shape. More particularly, the rack has four lateral extensions 50 each open at its upper and lower ends and capable of confining four playing balls 52 therein. The central portion of the rack 48 forms an area to receive a single auxiliary ball 54.

The opposite end of the table from the end at which the rack 48 is placed for breaking has a shooting line 56 on which a cue ball is placed on certain shots, such as when breaking the initial setup of the playing balls. In a preferred form, each of the playing balls 52 is specifically marked with a compass designation. That is, four of the playing balls have a north designation thereon and four each of the other balls are provided with the other desig nations of south, east and west. The game may be played many different ways. For example, the playing balls may be racked as shown in FIGURE 1 with the auxiliary ball 54 in the center. With four players, each is assigned a specific pocket and also the balls having the same designation as such pocket, and in order to win the game he must sink the assigned playing balls in that particular pocket. Many other rules and procedure may be followed in the playing of the game and the above is only illustrative, it being understood that the game is played with the usual cue sticks and a cue ball.

For ease in placing the rack 48 in a selected ball breaking position, the table surface has marks or lines 56 with which the lateral extensions 50 may be aligned. Also, for the purpose of placing the balls 52 in orderly fashion in the rack, the latter has designations 58 corresponding to the designations on the balls and selectively placed for achieving the selected racking of the balls.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus describe-d my invention, I claim:

1. A pool table comprising a table top having a playing surface, a plurality of pockets disposed on the periphery of said table top for receiving playing balls from the playing surface, and at least one supporting leg for said table top, said supporting leg having a hollow construction arranged to receive a loose ballast material and also having an inlet for said material whereby the leg is capable of receiving the ballast material at a selected time for adding weight to the table.

2. The pool table of claim 1 wherein said leg is detachably connected to said table top.

3. The pool table of claim 1 including a plurality of supporting legs each of which has a vertical hollow portion engageably supporting the table top adjacent the outer edge thereof and each of which also has a lower horizontally extending hollow portion projecting from said vertical portion, and means detachably connecting said legs to said table top.

4. The pool table of claim 1 wherein said table top is diamond shaped.

5. The pool table of claim 1 wherein said table top is diamond shaped and one of said pockets is provided at each of the four corners of said top.

6. The pool table of claim 1 wherein said table top is diamond shaped and one of said pockets is provided at each of the four corners of said top, an identifying marking for each corner, said markings each being different in its designation, and a plurality of playing balls arranged in a playing of the game to be rolled in said pockets, said balls being provided with individual markings corresponding to respective markings for said pockets.

7. The pool table of claim 1 wherein said table top is diamond shaped and one of said pockets is provided at each of the four corners of said top, and including rack means for placing playing balls on said playing surface for initiating the game, said rack means having four lateral extensions to place said playing balls initially in a cross-shaped position.

8. The pool table of claim 1 wherein said table top is diamond shaped and one of said pockets is provided at each of the four corners of said top, an identifying marking for each corner, said markings each being different in its designation, a plurality of playing balls arranged in a playing of the game to be rolled in said pockets, said balls being provided with individual markings corresponding to respective markings for said pockets, rack means for placing playing balls on said playing surface for initiating the game, said rack means having four lateral extensions to place said playing balls initially in a cross-shaped position, markings on said rack for selectively placing the balls therein, and markings on said playing surface for locating the ball positioning place for said rack means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,243,161 10/1917 Grode 2733 1,623,427 4/1927 Manrock. 3,311,374 3/1967 Wittenberg et al. 272-84 FOREIGN PATENTS 525,953 2/ 1954 Belgium.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

T. ZACK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A POOL TABLE COMPRISING A TABLE TOP HAVING A PLAYING SURGACE, A PLURALITY OF POCKETS DISPOSED ON THE PERIPHERY OF SAID TABLE TOP FOR RECEIVING PLAYING BALLS FROM THE PLAYING SURFACE, AND AT LEAST ONE SUPPORTING LEG FOR SAID TABLE TOP, SAID SUPPORTING LEG HAVING A HOLLOW CONSTRUCTION ARRANGED TO RECEIVE A LOOSE BALLAST MATERIAL AND 